Thursday, August 21, 2008

I try to teach my kids the right things. I really do. Sometimes I feel, no matter what I do, that they just don't get it.

Lately Maxfield has been requesting that I put ketchup directly ON his fries. He used to want his ketchup in a nice pile next to his fries so he could dip his fries and get the proper ketchup-to-fry ratio. Just like his father.

The past few weeks he wants me to squeeze the ketchup, all willy nilly like, back and forth, directly on his french fries. Some fries have lots of ketchup and some barely have any. I don't know where he learned this behavior. Not from his mother. She likes the little pile of ketchup next to her fries also. Maybe he is just being defiant.

When you eat french fries with ketchup, do you pour the ketchup NEXT to the fries or directly ON to the fries?

Usually next to, but with the notable exception of crinkle-cut fries from a hole-in-the wall burger joint. You know, when they put the burger and fries in the red plastic basket? There's usually no room for a pile then unless you sacrifice a few fries underneath the pile.

a little pile of ketchup sprinkled with salt and pepper!! My college roomie/best friend always squeezes ketchup right on her fries. Quite a feat when she's driving down the highway while trying not to spill her Dr Pepper. ACK!

I hardly ever comment but I have such strong feelings on this subject I am compelled to reply.

Ketchup belongs in one of those little condiment cups to the side of the fries. Never ever directly on the fries. You can buy a little set of those cups-there is no excuse people for the random application of ketchup to the fries!

Ketchup next to the fries. You must control the fry-to-ketchup ratio. And I loathe grabbing fries with ketchup already on them and getting my fingers all ketchup-y. I'll bust out a fork if that's the case.

I agree with Circus Kelli: Maxfield's probably just going through a phase, testing his independence. He'll come around.

However, do not worry too much. He is just trying new ways to do things, expanding his horizons, so to speak. It makes me shudder just thinking about putting the ketchup all willy nilly. Seriously, I am almost shaking here and my legs/arms are going weak. I am sure you feel similarly.

However, you are being a great dad and fighting through that to do this for your son! Let him figure out who HE is and try not to worry.

He may now go through a phase where he doesn't want ANY ketchup and then he may hate fries for a time. It happens, be prepared! I know you will prefer this to the ten years from now when he suddenly decides he wants nothing to do with YOU at all.

Perhaps the effort of picking up each individual fry, dipping it in ketchup, and then lifting it to his mouth is just too exhausting to him. You have to admire a boy who looks for a shortcut. He'll probably be an efficiency expert when he grows up!

That being said - I hardly ever eat fries, but if I do they get dipped in ranch salad dressing, which is ON THE SIDE!

When I was a kid, I always squiggled it directly on my fires. It was directly related to my enjoyment of licking salty ketchup off my fingers when I was done. Now, that might be a tad unseemly so I pour it on the side.

It depends. At home, at McDonald's and every other restaurant ketchup is on the side. But at a sporting event or ballpark, I do the back and forth. I think it's because I've always done that and it's easier to not carry cups of ketchup from the food booths to your 2x2 seat.

AWESOME! Someone just like me! I love to pour the ketchup all over the fries. So what if you get a little ketchup on your fingers, lick it off and you get the same fry taste a second time. Yum Yum! To polite, sometimes I eat them with a fork.(then no messy fingers) Fries with ketchup poured all over! Way to go Max! Just like Mama likes them...Love you guys.

I only eat ketchup on fries if I am at a restaurant. If I go through the drive thru I prefer them plain. I don't know why. I am weird. But I do prefer the little pile. And you are not alone Bill. I too have a little ketchup rebel who wants it all over the fries. I find this behavior lewd and repulsive. But he will learn. Soggy fries suck. You can only do so much. You have to let them suffer threw a few meals of soggy fries before they come around. At least I hope that's all it takes. My God, next thing you know he's going to want ketchup on his eggs. Imagine the shame! Sitting there with your kid asking for ketchup on his eggs?? What will the neighbors think? What would his grandparents say?? Their gonna be talking about you and your rotten ketchup failing kids at the next reunion! This parenting thing is a bitch, no? I'm here for you man. Maybe we should start a support group.

Either way works for me...if I'm feeling messy, I definitely do it Maxfield's way!

Sometimes I'll do a pile of mayo to dip in (apparently very European--my hubby's influence), and sometimes I'll just go with poutine: french canadian dish of fries with cheese curds and gravy on top...then add a touch of salt and vinegar...

...now I'm hungry..I've been up with Nadine since 3:30...I guess I'll be making hashbrowns for breakfast...

I have neither the nice pile nor the willy-nilly. When ketchup is applied in a nice line down the french fry it makes the perfect fry:ketchup ratio all the way down. Honestly, I am not THAT anal about tons of stuff. There's 147 piles of clean laundry on my bed to be folded and I sit here blogging.

On a separate plate or next to the fries … except when my wife’s not looking then it’s … bite the fry and squirt the ketchup directly into my mouth hoping to get caught. I just love to aggravate that woman.

French Fries? Ketchup? wow...I'll try to tackle this one, but I'm not too much on fries. when I do have them, I like to have a little pile of MUSTARD next to them to dip them in. Or vinegar. I only use ketchup on them if there's no mustard or vinegar available....but directly ON the fries? Put that kid in time out till he straightens up! That's just a crime! ;P

(Maxfield, when I was your age...ok, who am I kidding, I STILL like to see the stuff come out of the bottle all squiggly all over my food and watch the designs it makes. It was (is) like watching art in action..don't worry, nobody understood me either, and I turned out ok....mostly..)

No, not on. Never. That is nasty. You need to stand your ground on this. Put your foot down. They say to choose your battles, and this one is worth going to war over. If not, then what will this kid do next?